How do I improve my study habits?

"I'm pretty good at school, but I don't exactly have the best study and homework habits since I'm in quite a few extracurricular activities. How can I improve my habits and still stay involved?"

Jaclyn, 15, Warren, OH

Being involved in extracurricular activities is really important — plus it looks great on college applications — so we don't recommend dropping your activities entirely. You just need to learn to manage your time better. If you don't want to give up activities after school, for example, try to be more focused during the time you spend studying at night. Set aside a couple of hours each night for "homework time" — shut off your TV, Internet, and phone, and concentrate on your work. Ask your parents to help you make sure you have a quiet place to study. If you're having trouble figuring out the best way to study and do homework, talk to your teachers after class about the best strategies for studying for their tests and completing assignments. (They might even give you extra credit for being proactive!) You might also want to go to a tutor (a lot of teachers even hold study sessions after school, so ask them first). Learning how to hit the books properly and effectively will help you for years to come. Once you feel like you have the right habits, you can go back to spending more time on extracurricular activities.